I love Fall - I have always looked forward to the change of seasons, colored leaves, cooler temperatures and the beginning of the Holiday season. It's the best time for hiking, cooking, cute sweaters. But recently I came to a shocking realization - I believe I have suffered from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) every Fall for as long as I can remember. About the middle of September it starts - this fog wraps around my brain. At first it seems like a head cold but without the sniffling and coughing. Then the fog moves and takes over the part of me that is responsible, reasonable and cognitive. I stop getting the mail or get it reluctantly. I fall behind on my bills, just enough to add stress to an already stressful existence. Get off my healthy diet and exercise routine, ever so slightly but enough to put on 10 or more pounds. Reality is replaced with some kind of weird fantasy world where nothing is really BETTER than reality, just altered. I "float" around in this state, performing all of my normal duties, but robotically. Then right before spring I come to - just in time to freak out that I've put on extra weight and bathing suit season is right around the corner.
About three months after my second daughter was born, birthdate 9/20, my then husband discovered that our garage freezer was full of boxes of frozen broccoli - FULL. There must have been 100 boxes of it. He confronted me about it and I was baffled, had absolutely no recollection of buying it, or why I would have bought it, but I did. Then he noticed that our pantry was full of boxed macaroni - tons of it. Same thing, no idea why it was there but I'm sure I was the one who purchased it. I blamed it on post par dome depression but now I'm wondering if this was my first seasonal depression. Because that's the kind of thing you do. You just seem to the world that you are fine, because you are going through the motions of being fine. It isn't until the fog lifts that you realize you were anything but fine, you were numb.
As I realized this was happening again this year, I looked back and noticed that my credit scores always take a dive in the fall. I always gain weight in the fall. I always have some kind of relationship issue happen in the fall (both divorces took place between September and April,) my work always suffers in the fall, right before performance review time which is "awesome". So I did some research. This is an excerpt from just one of the articles I found, but it sums it up nicely:
"It is estimated that half a million Americans are negatively affected by the changing seasons and darkening of the summer light. They feel depressed, irritable, and tired. Their activity levels decrease, and they find themselves in bed more often. This depression disorder not only affects their health, but it also affects their everyday life, including their job performance and friendships. This disorder is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, appropriately acronym-ed, SAD."
If you are one of the lucky half million, here are some things you should know and some tips that I'm going to try to make me feel, well, less SAD:
10 Things You May Not Have Known About SAD
1. Did you know that between 60% and 90% of people with SAD are women? It’s true. If you are a female between 15 and 55, you are more likely to develop SAD. Great, so not only do women have PMS, Menopause, and child labor to worry about, add SAD to the list, too.
2. Even though the harsh chill in the air might bring you down, SAD is believed to relate more to daylight, not the temperature. Some experts believe that a lack of sunlight increases the body’s production of a body chemical called melatonin. Melatonin is what helps regulate
sleep and can cause symptoms of depression.
3. SAD can be treated. If your symptoms are mild, meaning, if they do not interfere in and completely ruin your daily life, light
therapymay help you beat SAD. Using light therapy has shown highly effective. Studies prove that between 50% and 80% of light therapy users have complete remissions of symptoms. However, light therapy must be used for a certain amount of time daily and continue throughout the dark, winter months.
4. Some say that light therapy has no side effects, but others disagree. We think it simply depends on the person. Some people experience mild side effects, such as headaches, eyestrain, or nausea. However, these light therapy users say that the side effects are temporary and subside with time or reduced light exposure. Most scientists agree that there are no long-term side effects, but remember to consult your physician before any treatment decisions are made.
5. There are some things to consider if you want to try light therapy in your home, otherwise you will not receive all the benefits that this type of therapy offers.
- When purchasing a light box, do not skimp as far as money is concerned. Buy a larger one so that you will receive enough light to be beneficial.
- The best time for light therapy is in the early morning. (If used late at night, it could cause insomnia.) So, even if it means waking up earlier, set aside some morning time to relax and use your light box.
- Many people are not aware of this, but you must have your eyes open and face the light during therapy. Do not stare at the light. That would be silly. Simply face the light, eyes open.
6. It takes more than just one winter depression to be diagnosed with SAD. Individuals must meet certain criteria:
- The symptoms and remission of the systems must have occurred during the last two consecutive years.
- The seasonal depressive episodes must outnumber the non-seasonal depressive episodes in one’s lifetime.
8. There is actually a device that conducts light therapy and allows you to walk around while treated. The device is called a light visor. Just wear the light visor around your head and complete your daily chores and rituals. A light visor still can potentially have the same side effects as the standard forms of light therapy, so only simple activities, such as watching television, walking, or preparing meals is advised. We do not recommend you operate heavy machinery while wearing a light visor. (You would look pretty silly with it on out in public, anyway.)
9. If you have a friend or loved one who suffers from SAD, you can help them tremendously.
- Try to spend more time with the person, even though they may not seem to want any company.
- Help them with their treatment plan.
- Remind them often that summer is only a season away. Tell them that their sad feelings are only temporary, and they will feel better in no time.
- Go outside and do something together. Take a walk, or exercise. Get them to spend some time outside in the natural sunlight. Just remember to bundle up!
10. Although not as common, a second type of seasonal affective disorder known as summer depression can occur in individuals who live in warmer climates. Their depression is related to heat and humidity, rather than light. Winter depression does cause petulance in many cases, but summer depression is known to cause severe violence. So, it could be worse.
Now that I'm aware of this SAD twist in my life, I feel like I can fix it. A friend of mine bought me the sun box and I've begun using it in the morning as I'm waking up and getting ready for work. I've also cut back on my caffeine and alcohol intake, painful for sure, but I think it's helping. I've also decided to avoid any major decisions until May, when my brain is fully functional again.
You know how I love food and cooking so I decided to do a little more research and see if there are certain food groups that have a positive (and those that have a negative) impact on SAD. Turns out that there are. That amino acid that puts us to sleep on Thanksgiving, tryptophan, oddly boosts mood for SAD victims. Besides turkey other foods that have high levels of tryptophan are chicken, fish, avocados, nuts, milk and eggs. Great news! There are a ton of awesome recipes using these ingredients that make for tasty and healthy meals. Here are a couple that I enjoy:
Baked Egg In Avocado
- 1 California avocado
- 2 eggs
- Miso "Butter"
- Japanese Chili Pepper (Ichimi Togarashi), for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Directions
- Cut avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop out a little of the avocado to make a bigger hole to hold the egg as it may not all fit depending on the size of the egg. Slice a little piece off the bottom of the avocado so it sits flat on a small baking tray (lined with foil).
- Break an egg into each half of the avocado.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes for soft boiled egg consistency or longer if you like a firmer egg.
- Remove from oven and drizzle some Miso "Butter" on top. Sprinkle with Japanese Chili Pepper, if desired.
Notes
I simply baked this in a toaster oven.
Scallop Ceviche with Orange and Avocado
- ½ pound fresh diver scallops, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 1 lime)
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice (approximately ½ orange)
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, diced
- 2 oranges, segmented
- 1 ripe but firm avocado, diced to the same size as the scallops
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade
- 2 tablespoons shallot or red onion, diced
- Place the scallops in a small bowl. Add the lime and orange juice and stir. Cover and refrigerate for 5-6 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes.
- Drain most of the excess liquid. Toss scallops with the peppers, avocado, basil and shallots.
- Season with salt if desired.
Notes
The avocado should be ripe enough to easily cut but not soft enough that it will become mushy. For best results it should hold its shape when stirred with the other ingredients.
